PEERS began a three-day debate today on plans to ban foxhunting with a warning that the general election campaign could be disrupted by violent protests.

PEERS began a three-day debate today on plans to ban foxhunting with a warning that the general election campaign could be disrupted by violent protests.

A group of peers will today try to amend the Hunting Bill to allow licensed hunting with dogs, and they will later consider a government amendment delaying the ban until 2006.

But Conservative peer Lord Mancroft warned that whichever way the issue goes there would be massive, ongoing disturbances in the run-up to a general election.

"Regardless of what happens to this Bill, this issue is not over, and it will not be over until it is dealt with in a reasonable and equitable way," said Lord Mancroft.

He is one of a group of peers who want licensed hunting but the anti-hunting Labour MP Tony Banks said this was a "waste of time" and was the last throw of desperate people.

"Whatever they come up with today, if it is less than a total ban it will be unacceptable to the House of Commons," predicted Mr Banks.

Failure

The Commons is threatening to use the Parliament Act to steamroller through the ban, if peers object to it. The Act has only been used four times in 50 years and Lord Mancroft said today if it was used now it would be a sad failure.

He said the government's amendment, delaying the start of a ban until July 2006, was "corrupt politics".

"They are claiming the delay would allow hunting staff to get other jobs and to prevent hounds being put down. That's absolute rubbish - they're trying to prevent protests disturbing the general election campaign but whichever way that issue goes there will be massive on-going disturbances," predicted Lord Mancroft.

As peers began their marathon session on the proposed ban the Rural Affairs minister Alun Michael said he hoped the issue could be resolved in a less confrontational way. But he accepted that any amendments proposed by peers would still face opposition in the Commons.

MPs, led by anti-hunt MP Sir Gerald Kaufman have repeatedly voted by large majorities for a ban.

A spokesman for the pro-hunt Countryside Alliance said that today's amendment, for licensed hunting, represented a workable solution that would improve animal welfare.

But a spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports said it was a desperate attempt to retain a "grotesque" sport.